CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Career Development Program is a critical component of the SPORE in Prostate Cancer, as it provides a mechanism to mentor junior investigators interested in careers in prostate cancer research. The Career Development Program (CDP) uses several mechanisms to recruit these investigators including emails, letters to department chairs and web site announcements. In addition, the Directors of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center will advertise the CDP when recruiting junior investigators to their respective Institutions. CDP investigators are selected after careful review of their credentials, their proposed projects and their potential to develop an independent career in prostate cancer research. Career Development investigators are clinicians or basic scientists from biomedical science departments at Northwestern University, University of Chicago and NorthShore University HealthSystem. The fact that the awardees come from a variety of departments provides a source of diversity and scientific expertise to members of the SPORE Program. The Career Development Program has a consistent and highly structured process for selection of awardees and a good tracking system for monitoring their progress. The specific aims of the Career Development Program are: Specific Aim 1 To recruit and solicit applications for career development investigators through a highly structured process including mechanisms to attract women and minority candidates. Specific Aim 2 To select, monitor and evaluate career development investigators based on the proposed project, progress reports, publications and attendance at seminars and symposia. Specific Aim 3 To foster the careers of these junior investigators through a structured program of mentor meetings, conferences, seminars and symposia.